Minnetrista exhibits Joseph Holston's "Color in Freedom"

The Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, IN, is pleased to announce the exhibition of Joseph Holston's "Color in Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad" March 7 through May 3.

Painter and printmaker, Holston is best known for his use of vivid color, abstracted forms and expressive lines reflecting his appreciation for musical composition. He states, "Lines play a very important part in my art. I want the art to speak to the viewer, and for the viewer's response to become part of the art."

Minnetrista invites viewers to experience the struggle for freedom from slavery through Holston's magnificent suite of images. His dramatic motion- and color-filled paintings contrast the brutal ugliness of slavery with the overwhelming courage of those who survived it, escaped it, and worked to end it. Holston portrays the human capacity for cruelty with stunning poignancy and the human capacity for hope with measured joy.

Holston traveled the route of the Underground Railroad--the name for the system that developed to help fugitive slaves escape to the North--in preparation for creating this series. He organized the pictorial narrative like a symphony in four movements. As the story develops the color palette changes accordingly. Dark blues and grays dominate in the early movements, while bright bursts of color weave through the final one. Through it all, the viewer has a sense of "journey," of following a path, and gains a profound understanding of the struggle.

"Ideally, viewers will become so interwoven in the art that the line between where the viewer ends and the art begins no longer exists," says Holston. His abstract style draws from the cubist tradition, perfecting his ability to communicate his subjects' emotion. Viewers quickly understand the love and emotion shared between his figures. Holston depicts the bravery and dreams of the men and women Holston renders.

"Creating this body of work was both a privilege and a source of inspiration. In capturing the spiritual and emotional essence of this journey that is an essential part of my own history, I felt a strong sense of connection, and a bond with lives just a few generations removed," says Holston.

Located along historic White River, Minnetrista includes 40 acres of beautiful gardens and grounds, a modern museum facility, an historic home, Nature Area, numerous sculptures, and a portion of the Cardinal Greenway. Minnetrista serves East Central Indiana with dynamic community activities and exhibits that honor and reflect its natural and cultural heritage. For more information about Minnetrista, visit www.minnetrista.net.

Color in Freedom was developed by University of Maryland University College and toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.


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